


the sun shines and fights for your day

by the_one_that_fell



Category: Fruits Basket, Fruits Basket - Takaya Natsuki (Manga)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, First Meetings, Fluffy Ending, Found Family, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Sexual Harassment, Manga Spoilers, Post-Canon, Verbal Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:13:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25734874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_one_that_fell/pseuds/the_one_that_fell
Summary: Machi didn’t get harassed or catcalled often. But that didn’t mean it never happened.Or, Machi is rescued by the two youngest members of the Zodiac.
Relationships: Kuragi Machi & Sohma Hiro, Kuragi Machi & Sohma Kisa, Kuragi Machi/Sohma Yuki, Sohma Hiro/Sohma Kisa
Comments: 16
Kudos: 117





	the sun shines and fights for your day

**Author's Note:**

> TW: for sexual harassment, general harassment, verbal abuse, mentions of past child abuse, slight victim blaming (that is denounced), and Hiro being violent towards an asshole who deserves it

Machi didn’t get harassed or catcalled often. 

She chalked it up to her talent at being virtually invisible in public more than anything else. Her entire life, she had been quiet and dull and very good at ignoring men. But that didn’t mean it _never_ happened. 

“I have a boyfriend,” she told the man blocking her path. She’d only run out to pick up some groceries before Yuki’s visit this afternoon, but this—admittedly _tall —_ jackass was making it difficult. 

“Oh?” The guy smirked at her. “I don’t _see_ him.” 

Machi bristled, but kept her expression neutral. “I don’t need a chaperone to run errands, do I?” 

“C’mon, smile a bit,” he told her, stepping closer. “You’re being rude. We’re just talking, aren’t we?” 

“Leave me alone,” Machi said, frustration leaking into her tone. Yuki had taught her a few self-defense moves before he graduated, but people were starting to notice as the guy in front of her grew louder. She couldn’t just kick him in the balls for being _annoying_. 

“Hey, I’m just being friendly,” the guy snapped, smile dropping. “Don’t you know how to make friends?”

“No,” Machi replied truthfully. She didn’t intentionally make friends; friends generally wormed their way into her life against her will. “Go away.” 

“You’re such a bitch,” the guy spat. “Bet you think you’re _so_ much better than me, is that it? Get off your high horse, you stupid slut.”

“Okay.” Machi sighed. All she wanted was to get some ingredients for soumen. Why couldn’t this guy just leave her alone? He was starting to make her nervous; what if he followed her home? Steeling herself, Machi ducked around him, but he caught her arm and yanked her back.

“Hey!” He shouted, fingers digging roughly into the soft flesh of her upper arm. Machi let out a surprised yelp of pain. “Don’t walk away when I’m talking to yo- _OOF._ ”

Suddenly the hand was gone, and Machi turned to see the guy sprawled across the sidewalk, clutching at his stomach. Standing above him was a kid, probably middle school aged, who raised a fist in warning. 

“She didn’t wanna talk to you, you dumb bastard!” The kid shouted, his voice cracking almost comically. “Go jump in a lake!”

“C’mon.” A small, soft hand took Machi’s, and she looked down to see a young girl tugging at her to move. “Hiro’s got him distracted, let’s get away.” 

Machi nodded mutely and let the girl drag her down the street, away from the man and the boy who’d saved her. They ended up at the entrance to a busy park, and the girl let out a deep sigh of relief. She looked up at Machi with brilliant, amber eyes. Despite the difference in color, Machi was reminded of Yuki. 

“Are you okay?” The girl asked, nose scrunching in worry. She was cute in a way Machi didn’t know existed in real life. Was this some sort of child model? A tiny idol? A robot escaped from a laboratory? 

“Did your friend...headbutt that guy in the stomach?” Machi asked. Everything had happened so quickly that it was a blur, but she was certain the kid hadn’t come at them with his fists alone. 

“Aha, um...yes.” The girl looked down at her feet. “It’s a bad habit of his from- it’s a bad habit.” 

Machi felt her lips twitch upwards. “I don’t think it’s a bad habit to save people.”

The girl beamed up at her, clasping her hands together. “So, you’re okay? He didn’t hurt you, did he? He was so scary.” 

“Ah, no, I’m fine,” Machi said, rubbing at the back of her neck. “Thanks.” 

“Oi! Kisa!” 

The boy was jogging towards them, face pulled into a deep scowl. To Machi’s relief, he didn’t have a scratch on him. 

“Hiro!” The girl—Kisa—waved him over. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Hiro said, scowl lessening as Kisa checked him over. When he caught sight of Machi, however, he huffed and pointed an accusatory finger at her. “ _You_. Learn how to stand up for yourself! I can’t stand people who let themselves get walked all over. What if we hadn’t been there? You can’t expect others to fight your battles!” 

Machi quirked an eyebrow. Who did this little punk think he was, her father? It was almost funny, getting lectured by a child. She let her thoughts drift to Yuki as the kid rambled on. He’d be here in an hour and she still needed to pick up groceries. Neither of them could cook, even after lessons from Tohru, but they had fun trying. Sometimes Yuki would purposefully smear sauce across her cheek, just so he could lick it off. The bastard thought he was _so smooth_...but Machi would be lying if she said it didn’t make her heart race. 

“Hiro!” Kisa shouted, disrupting Machi’s train of thought. “Stop it! If she’d hit that guy, he could’ve hurt her! You’re being mean. I’m...I’m disappointed in you.” 

Machi hid her laugh behind a cough as the boy’s face grew bright red. He was a piece of work, but Kisa seemed to have him wrapped around her finger. They very suddenly reminded her of Tohru and Kyo, and this time she couldn’t help but snort a little. 

“I-I-” Hiro bowed, first to Kisa, then Machi. “I’m sorry,” he said, head lowered. “I just got scared, seeing that guy grab you. I- I don’t like bullies.”

“It’s fine,” Machi said with a shrug. “I know a few self-defense moves, I guess I just froze. So, thank you. For interfering.” 

Hiro nodded, looking at Kisa sheepishly until she smiled at him. Machi really wasn’t sure if these two were dating or siblings or whatever, but the way they interacted made her feel warm inside. They clearly knew each other well. 

“I’m Kisa, by the way,” the girl said to introduce herself. “Kisa Sohma. And this is Hiro Sohma. Do you mind if we walk you home, just to make sure you get there safe?” 

“Soh...ma?” Machi’s brain short-circuited. 

“Ah, yeah. Sohma,” Kisa repeated with a smile. 

“Are you related to Yuki Sohma?” Machi asked slowly. Surely that was too much of a coincidence. But these kids _were_ unnaturally pretty, and Kisa’s _hair_ -

“Yes!” Kisa clapped her hands together. “He’s our relative. You know Yuki?”

“Uh, yeah. He’s my boyfriend.” 

Kisa’s mouth fell open. Hiro snorted. “That guy has a _girlfriend_?” 

“Really?” Kisa asked, ignoring Hiro. “It’s so nice to meet you! Onee-chan mentioned Yuki was dating someone but I haven’t talked to him in a while so I never got to ask.” She paused, tilting her head to the side to look Machi up and down. “You’re pretty.” 

Despite herself, Machi felt her face heat up. “Um. My name is Machi Kuragi.” 

“You could do better,” Hiro said off-handedly. Kisa smacked his arm. 

“Yuki is nice, don’t say that,” she whispered. “Onee-chan, can we walk you home?” 

It seemed yet another person in Yuki’s life had already adopted her—first Tohru, then Ayame, and now Kisa. Machi couldn’t really complain, though. It was nice to have a family. 

“Uh, sure.” Machi decided she and Yuki could just go out to eat. Their cooking _was_ pretty atrocious. “I’m just a couple blocks this way,” she said, jabbing her thumb in the direction of her apartment. 

Without warning, Kisa grabbed Machi’s hand again and took the lead, despite not knowing the way. Hiro trailed after them, mumbling about older women stealing his girlfriend, but he didn’t seem too angry. “If you’re dating Yuki,” Kisa said. “Does that mean you’re friends with Tohru?” 

Machi nodded. “We’re not close, but she’s easy to be friends with.”

“She’s the best, isn’t she?” Kisa asked, grinning from ear to ear. “I miss her a lot.” 

“She should dump Kyo,” Hiro butted in. “He’s such a loser. Then she could move back here.” 

“Hiro,” Kisa warned, her tone more playful than upset. “Don’t say that. Kyo isn’t too bad, and Onee-chan really loves him!” 

Hiro snorted derisively. “Tohru loves everyone. She can find someone here.” 

Kisa looked up at Machi with a conspiratorial glint in her eyes. “Hiro misses her too, he just won’t admit it.” 

“I don’t!” Hiro protested, but Kisa waved him off. 

“Do you go to school with Yuki?” Kisa asked. 

“I did,” Machi said. “I’m in my third year at Kaibara, but he and I were on the Student Council together last year.” 

“Oh! So you know Momiji and Haru?” 

“Yeah.” Momiji had transferred out this year, but they had been acquainted. Alternatively, she couldn’t get _rid_ of Hatsuharu Sohma, who asked for “Yuki Updates” almost every day before class.

Machi had never been great at small talk, but her curt nature didn’t seem to faze Kisa. “I never get to see Momiji anymore, since he moved out of the compound. But I get to see Haru and Rin a lot!” 

They rounded the corner to Machi’s apartment, Kisa still rambling about people Machi didn’t know. Kisa stopped talking abruptly and began waving to someone in the distance. Machi glanced up to see Yuki standing outside her building, typing on his phone. 

“Yuki!” Kisa called. He looked up, noticed the three of them together, and waved, confusion visible on his face, even at this distance. 

They approached and Yuki reached out to kiss Machi’s cheek in greeting. Her face flushed, but the kids didn’t seem to notice. “Hey,” he said to her. “I see you met these two?” 

“A guy was harassing her, so we stepped in,” Hiro said coolly, arms folded across his chest. 

“He headbutted the guy,” Machi deadpanned. Yuki let out a surprised bark of laughter, covering his mouth with his hand. 

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Yuki said, taking Machi’s hand. “Are you okay?” 

Machi nodded. “They insisted on making sure I got home safe.” 

Yuki smiled at his cousins. “Thank you,” he said sincerely. “That was very kind of you, Kisa.” 

“Hey!” Hiro protested, but he was ignored as Yuki patted Kisa’s head. She smiled up at him, eyes darting to Machi. 

“I like your girlfriend,” Kisa told him. “Hold onto her, please.” 

Yuki laughed, and the sound warmed Machi’s heart. “I plan on it. As long as she’ll have me.” 

“Gross,” Hiro muttered. Machi turned to him, and bopped him lightly on the head with her fist. “Hey!” He shouted.

“Thanks,” she said. “For walking me home. And headbutting that guy.” 

Hiro’s cheeks turned pink and he shrugged dismissively. “Whatever. Guy deserved it.” 

“Can you two get home safely?” Yuki asked, grip tightening on Machi’s hand. They hadn’t seen each other properly in weeks, and she could tell he was antsy to get her alone. She bit back a smile. 

“Of course we can,” Hiro snapped. Kisa smiled at Yuki sweetly. 

“Yes,” she said. “Come visit us soon, okay? Haru misses you.” 

Yuki nodded. “Will do.”

Kisa waved to both of them as Hiro took her hand and started pulling her back down the street. As soon as they were out of sight, Yuki pressed a proper kiss to her mouth. Machi melted against him, the whirlwind of the past hour finally over. “Are all of your relatives weird? Are you the normal one in your family?” 

Yuki laughed against her lips, knocking their foreheads together. “You ask me that when _Kakeru_ is your brother.” 

“That Hiro kid headbutted a guy twice his size in the gut,” Machi said. “And that’s pretty normal after meeting Momiji and Ayame.” 

“Have I introduced you to Kagura yet?” Yuki asked with a shit-eating grin. 

“Your family is _weird_ ,” Machi said, pulling her boyfriend towards the entrance of her building.

Yuki let himself be pulled inside. “I’m very aware.” 

“Nice, though,” Machi admitted, cheeks growing warm as they climbed up to the second floor. “Your family’s pretty nice. The ones I’ve met.” 

The unspoken truth of Yuki’s parents hung between them, but it didn’t dampen the mood, They’d bared themselves to each other before, whispering the untold abuses of their parents where no one else could hear. Machi knew Yuki didn’t go to the family compound to visit because those who hurt him were still there. Yuki knew Machi would only meet with her father in public, where he couldn’t raise a hand against her. 

Yuki smiled at her. “They seemed to like you, Kisa and Hiro. Oh, speaking of, Ayame was asking about you yesterday…” 

Machi unlocked her door and pulled Yuki in behind her, still chattering about his brother and _her_ brother and silly schemes they were brewing. She smiled at him, and felt her heart expand to let her new family grow just a little more. 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! I'm on tumblr at [alphacrone](https://alphacrone.tumblr.com/)


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